Reliant Rialto

[Mally]

Ah, now you say hand brake. I had just used the hand brake in the carpark as its on a hill, could be that its sticking. I take it to look at this i need to take the drums apart?

I always leave it in gear and hand brake off as last winter they bound up big time 

Used to just leave mine in gear.

Security man came into work one day looking for owner of Reliant which had just run down the hill on its own and embedded itself into the back of a Triumph Herald.

Reliant came off worst, was an aluminium bodied one!

[plasticvandan]

Hammer the face of the drum,between the square of the studs,alternate diagonally to free out,you can hit it quite hard,just not the lip,don't be tempted to pry it off,that just fucks the backplate.don't touch the but,that holds the hub on,buyt the tapers are that tight you would need a 10 ton press to get the hub off! Rough up the drum and shoes while its off too.

[oldcars]

Cheers going to do this at the weekend, had no time yesterday.

[oldcars]

I really need to give up with the mechanical side of things, its really not my thing.

 

Got the drum off and cleaned it up, looks ok but its still jammed up. The adjustment screw is siezed solid and now i cant get the drum back over the brake shoes   Its also blocking my other car in the drive and needs moved. Any ideas?

[Ben_O]

I really need to give up with the mechanical side of things, its really not my thing.

 

Got the drum off and cleaned it up, looks ok but its still jammed up. The adjustment screw is siezed solid and now i cant get the drum back over the brake shoes   Its also blocking my other car in the drive and needs moved. Any ideas?

Pop the wheel back on without the drum, roll the rialto out the way to get the other car out and bingo.

 

As for the adjuster, the only way is to free it off. Have you considered removing the backplate from the car so it can be sorted on the bench? I had to do this on a Rover metro last year as the adjuster wouldn't move. On the bench, it took 5 mins of soaking, heating and working back and forth

[Mally]

Warm the adjuster up with a small blowtorch. You can do this whilst its all together but be carefull and take your time. Make sure your petrol tank dosent leak!

Use a good correct brake spanner on the square adjuster. Work it backwards and forwards until free.

When it cools down spray a little WD40 on the adjuster then wipe it clean.

Turn the adjuster fully anti clockwise looking from the inside. That will be clockwise to you where you are standing. Drum should then go on. Turn adjuster other way until drum is tight, back off a little until drum turns, thats it!

It is preferable to take off the adjuster and do it in a vice, but easier and faster my way.

Its possible the wheel cylinder is stuck. We will come to that if we have to later.

[oldcars]

Pop the wheel back on without the drum, roll the rialto out the way to get the other car out and bingo.

 

As for the adjuster, the only way is to free it off. Have you considered removing the backplate from the car so it can be sorted on the bench? I had to do this on a Rover metro last year as the adjuster wouldn't move. On the bench, it took 5 mins of soaking, heating and working back and forth

Thanks, i was going to pop the wheel back but was worried i would damage stuff, will do that tonight.

[oldcars]

Warm the adjuster up with a small blowtorch. You can do this whilst its all together but be carefull and take your time. Make sure your petrol tank dosent leak!

Use a good correct brake spanner on the square adjuster. Work it backwards and forwards until free.

When it cools down spray a little WD40 on the adjuster then wipe it clean.

Turn the adjuster fully anti clockwise looking from the inside. That will be clockwise to you where you are standing. Drum should then go on. Turn adjuster other way until drum is tight, back off a little until drum turns, thats it!

It is preferable to take off the adjuster and do it in a vice, but easier and faster my way.

Its possible the wheel cylinder is stuck. We will come to that if we have to later.

Thanks Ray, i was using a adjustable wrench on it and was worried it was going to damage so stopped.  Do you know what size brake spanner i would need? I think the wheel cylinder is stuck as before i took the drum off the brake pedal hardly moved and felt really hard.

[RayMK]

As above, but if you move the car without the drum you will need to do it progressively on to chocks.  Using the brake pedal could pop the piston out and the handbrake compensator (if it has one) may make braking ineffective.

 

Releasing fluid or penetrating oil should work after 15 minutes or so. It works best if the area is cleaned beforehand with a wire brush.  The reason your drum won't go back on (assuming it came off ok) is that one or both of the shoes have moved slightly.  Try tapping the shoes to reposition and centralize them and the drum will go back on.

[coalnotdole]

Those girling adjusters are only retained by two 1/4 nuts which should come undone easily,

 

I'd pop it off and give it a clean on the bench, put it back together with plenty of grease / copperslip and they usually go again, Providing the adjuster shaft hasnt been snapped off.

 

Also remember if you put the wheel back on without the drum remember not use the brakes when you come to move it....

[RayMK]

.... and yes, you need a proper brake spanner!  Most motor factors and even Halfords will have them but check the size because there are probably different sizes for old continental cars, motorbikes and old Brit stuff. 

[oldcars]

Thanks for the info. I looked at the two nuts holding the adjuster on and the rust on them looks worse that the adjuster one. Need to look at getting a spanner or borrowing one from a pal, want to get this back on the road asap as i have a show in a few weeks with it.

[RayMK]

Regarding the brake cylinder:  If the piston is stuck, don't use penetrating oil or releasing fluid on it unless you are definitely going to remove it for inspection, clean up and fit new seals or simply replace the whole thing with a new one.  Oil and most releasing fluids will attack the elastomeric bits and can lead to brake failure even though you may get the piston to move again.

 

Good luck with the show preparations.  I've had an unusually strong bout of CBA this year and have not been to any - apart from a brief appearance at Shitefest in the Stellar.

[oldcars]

Thanks, i have been to a few but only showing the car in one soon. As always it breaks just before

[plasticvandan]

Get a proper brake adjuster spanner with a square hole,1/4" hole from memory.don't use anything else near it or it will mash to buggery. Soak in plus gas,heat if possible.

[Ben_O]

Sorry i didn't mention about not using the brakes with the drum off. I thought it went without saying 

[oldcars]

Wheel on and moved the car last night and popped it back up the drive until i can get the spanner ordered and crack on with it.

[Squire_Dawson]

I have one of the correct spanners going spare if you want it?

[oldcars]

I have one of the correct spanners going spare if you want it?

Yes please, very good of you indeed. I will pm you and we can sort out payment etc 

[oldcars]

This place really is great. I am being sent a brake spanner free of charge from Squire_Dawson. Thanks very much you are a gent. 

[Mally]

If brake pedal is solid, very likely one or more wheel cylinders are stuck.

When you have freed the adjuster stick the drum on and get someone to press the brake pedal whilst you turn the drum.

If the drum stops when pedal is pressed and releases when pedal is released it's all good.

Jack the other wheels in turn, spin them whilst someone presses the pedal. Make sure they press the middle pedal, my kids weren't too good at this!

[oldcars]

Cheers, i have had all the other wheels up before i started taking it to bits. I agree i think something is stuck. If it needs a wheel cylinder think i will try and get a garage to do it.

[Mally]

Have just read through this from the start. Brake cylinders and adjusters are easier than some of the other jobs you have attempted, have faith.

 

If you start losing water again in the future try some Bars Leaks, the stuff in the tube that you crumble into the rad filler.

We used it all the time when racing these engines. They have wet liners sealed round the bottom end with silicone, it fails at times.

[oldcars]

Thanks, water leak seems to be fixed now. (touches wood)

[Guest Hooli]

What do these have on the front wheel? disc or drum?

[plasticvandan]

drums all round,all the way to 2002

possibly the last car to have such a set up,and almost certainly the last car to still run on points!

[Mally]

I used to work with someone who drove one over the pit to do the brakes.

 

...........It fell in!

[plasticvandan]

And this is how it all began

[Mally]

I thought the early ones were like a box with girder forks sticking out at the front?

[Mally]

http://danlockton.co.uk/rebel/early_years.html